You bet rusty. I used to buy bottles of this and that, bags of soil, etc often dropping $100's of dollars
So, you finally learned what I've been practicing for 30 years. You feel you've discovered the new world after pissing off money on crap. Congradulations!
I've done vermicomposting. They are particularly fond of banana peels and shredded B/W newspaper.
Having said that, everything is a chemical and your statement about chemicals fouling up the micro life is bullshit. Your organics are chemicals. Worms excrete chemicals. You're a hodgepodge of chemicals.....Al Gore. The world is made up of chemicals. Sorry, but drenching your pots with 1 tsp./gallon of Miracle Gro does not destroy micro life, not that you have any way to measure it. You own an electron microscope by chance and have analysed this "life"?
Organic pesticides are just as poisonous as malathion, some even more so. You just have to learn how to use them. At least malathion returns quickly to the phosphate it was made from and quickly becomes benigh. Get the facts, not the feelings.
Really don't see the point, nor is it relative to the thread topic. If you want to get on the organic, natural (bullshit) bandwagon, why don't you start your own thread? I'm sure the fate of the western world depends on your newly discovered revelations.
[video=youtube;8Zqe4ZV9LDs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Zqe4ZV9LDs&feature=player_embedded[/video]
Topping the Uncle Ben way is not removing foliage. It's a form of training in the very early stages of a seedling's life. You need to read the first page or perhaps someone with more patience could explain the process to you.
Compost is not free. They charge $35/yard here. I get all the horse manure I want free and do my own composting. Well, it's kinda free. I rent a dump trailer and split the rental with a friend.
UB